LOWER POTTSGROVE — Tim Paciello, the Pottsgrove High School junior who died Monday night after being struck by a pickup truck, was remembered as a unique person who lived life to the fullest during a memorial service Friday.

“From the moment you were born, you were made to stand out,” Tim’s big sister, RaDeanna, said when she addressed the crowd gathered in Pottsgrove’s auditorium. She said Tim dreamed of one day playing his music, “rocking out” on stage, “and now you’re on the biggest stage” of all.

“If this would have happened to anyone of us, he would tell us to keep our heads up,” Jason said. Although Tim has passed, as long as his friends and family never forget him, Jason said, “he is alive in all of us.”

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Many of Tim’s friends and classmates spoke about how Tim was comfortable being himself, with his colorful clothing, skinny jeans and piercings. He was an anomaly in that he got along with everyone. An athlete who wrestled; a musician who played several instruments and loved rock music, especially Guns N’ Roses and Metallica; and a brother and son who loved his family.

Tim’s friends explained how he made them feel comfortable in their own skin, and showed them that being unique and being yourself is most important.

Ryan Swan called Tim “a great friend,” and said “before I met Tim, I tried to fit in and I wasn’t really myself. He taught me to be who I am, dress the way I want.”

Matt Kennedy said Tim “is gonna leave a great impact on my life.”

Tara Duffy, a good friend of RaDeanna, said she could see immediately how close Tim was to his family, and that he was fun to be around.

“That crazy kid always had something to say that would make you laugh,” she said. “It wasn’t hard to develop a soft spot for the goofball who loved both Metallica and the Disney Channel.”

Zack Hackman said Tim was the first friend he made at Pottsgrove, and Tim made him feel welcome. “Whenever I hung out with Timmy, he always let me know I belonged.”

The Pottsgrove wrestling team dedicated its season to Tim. Dominic Bridi spoke on behalf of the wrestling team and said “every day, Tim brought life to our practices.”

Patricia Carroll, one of Tim’s teachers who came out for the memorial service, spoke of how special a student and person Tim was.

She had him last year, she said, and explained how she initially “eyeballed” her class and sized up Tim.

“Oh, what about that one in the back, the dude with the black nail (polish) and the piercings; the Converses and the pants” that were a variety of colors.

Having some difficulty with how Tim’s pronounced his last name, she called him “Tim ‘Pants,’” and they became close.

Carroll said she saw in Tim a kind and caring person, someone who was smart and who looked at the world from a perspective all his own. She noted his amusement with old buildings, as an example.

“It wasn’t always about what everybody else saw, but about the potential for what could be there and how someone could make something amazing no matter what the outside looked like,” she said. “I can only hope that we can learn to live as fearlessly and proudly and full of love and bravery as Timothy.”